Object systems are software systems that provide the capability to define classes and to construct and utilize objects that are specific to that object system. Object systems are also known as object oriented systems and include such well known programming languages as Java, from Sun Microsystems, Inc. of Palo Alto, Calif., C++ from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., and MATLAB from The Mathworks of Natick, Mass. An object is a software artifact that has attributes and behaviors. Behaviors are also referred to as functions. The functions of a particular object are utilized or called via the methods contained in a class definition for the object.
Applications and other executable code utilize objects written in their own programming language. For example, a MATLAB application is able to utilize MATLAB objects. Different object systems have different capabilities. It is often desirable for an application written using one programming language to be able to interact with and use objects written in a different object system. Typically, an object system may include support and interoperability for objects of another object system in one of two ways. The programming language of the application may be extended so that the implementation and syntax of the programming language are revised to provide access to the other object system. Unfortunately, this complicates the syntax and the implementation of the programming language. Alternatively, the software application may be written to use Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) which create an interface through which the application may interact with objects of another object system. Unfortunately, the use of an API complicates the writing of the application and binds the application to the object system at those points where the API is utilized. Both methods of extending a programming language to include support for multiple object systems result in complicated applications. Applications using the API method are bound to the foreign object system at those points where the object system is utilized.